Busy Bee: Southern Forrest Community Landcare launches Pollinators Aplenty project to protect bee populations

A bid to educate and engage is behind a new Manjimup-based program set to introduce locals to the world of pollinators. With bee populations declining, residents are being called upon to do their bit to ensure the important species aren’t gone forever. Southern Forrest Community Landcare is launching a new Pollinators Aplenty program, and coordinator Sharon Rose said it was about getting on the front foot. “This project is about public engagement, and getting people to think about their own little area of land around where they live,” she said. “It is a project designed to have proactive elements in it. “It is a series of nine workshops over the year and this first one is building native bee hotels, so increasing little refuges and little habitats for our bees.” She said a number of important species had become extinct in the area and this was a chance to ensure bees did not suffer the same fate. “There has been extinctions with our butterflies and loss of habitat all over the place, and we can all do something,” Ms Rose said. “The proactive approach means we are doing something thinking about the ramifications — we can make a difference that way.” The workshop, which is funded by the State Natural Resource Management and partnered by the Manjimup Community Resource Centre and the Manjimup Community Garden, kicks off on Sunday at the Manjimup Heritage Park, with registrations opening at 10.30am.